Incumbents Heumann and Sellers are running for their second terms. Councilman Matt Orlando is termed out. Roe and Taylor campaigned for council seats in 2010 but lost. Ellen, Huang and Wolfe never have run for public office in Chandler, they said.

The candidates' campaigning styles are distinct, as well. Campaign signs for Taylor and Roe began appearing as early as May, and others quickly followed. Some of the candidates have raised and spent thousands of dollars, while others have spent a few hundred.

All seven have said they believe that Chandler is a well-managed city and that they are not running to vastly shake things up.

"The sense that many of them agree, just to me, says that our city is going in the right direction," Councilwoman Trinity Donovan said. "I think it's important that we continue on this right direction and that we have people who are on there that can work together with other council members and city staff."

To win a seat in the primary, a candidate must receive at least one vote more than 50 percent of the votes cast for the office of mayor. The crowded field means "we could have anything happen," Chandler City Clerk Marla Paddock said.

"We could have none," she said, "or we could have all (three) of them."

In the unlikely event that no candidate receives 50 percent plus one in the primary, the six who received the most votes advance to the November election. If more than three candidates receive 50 percent plus one in the primary election, the three who receive the most votes win seats.

The Chandler mayor's race has been relatively quiet because Mayor Jay Tibshraeny is running unopposed. Because the winner is based on number of votes cast for the office of mayor, it will be virtually impossible for him to lose.

If elected, Tibshraeny would serve an unprecedented sixth term.

The Chandler native was mayor from 1994 to 2002. Following that, Tibshraeny was elected to the Arizona Senate for eight years, then returned to his hometown to be elected to a fifth mayoral term in 2010.

Tibshraeny said he has distributed yard signs but decided to forgo large street campaign signs.

"It's crowded enough out there," he said.

The last day to request an early ballot by mail is Aug. 17. The primary election is Aug. 28.

Chandler elections

Open seats: Mayor and three council positions. The mayor is limited to four consecutive, two-year terms. Chandler City Council members serve four-year terms and are limited to two consecutive terms.

Annual salaries: Mayor, $36,810; council members, $20,450.

Primary election: Aug. 28. Residents must have been registered to vote by July 30 to vote.

Early balloting: Early voting begins Thursday. Request a ballot by mail by calling 602-506-1511, by writing to the Maricopa County Election Department or making a request at www.recorder.maricopa.gov. The last day to request an early ballot by mail is Aug. 17.